Nagpur: The Maharashtra education scamis getting murkier with another 900 beneficiaries, including headmasters holding fake Shalarth IDs or unique web-based teacher identification numbers likely to be named accused in the case, which is being probed by the cyber cell.Bank accounts of maximum beneficiaries have been frozen to ensure fake ID holders cannot siphon off money from govt coffers, said DCP Lohit Matani.Deputy director of education, Ulhas Narad, along with other senior officials, have already been arrested on charges of malpractices, including creation of 540 fake Shalarth IDs, which enabled headmasters, teachers and other department employees eligible for govt salaries and benefits. The probe is heading towards the possibility of several key institution heads, management committee members, headmasters, and teachers becoming accused.Sources stated the cyber cell has already issued summons to 170 school management bodies and headmasters. “We issued notices to schools and headmasters who allowed 540 fake Shalarth ID beneficiaries to get govt aid and other monetary benefits along with salaries,” said a senior cyber cop. “These school managements deposited money in accounts of beneficiaries, which they need to disclose now. We will later contact banks and get details of the accounts,” said the official. Cyber cops are still trying to track down two accused, Laxman Mogam and Sunil Dhole, whose IP addresses were found to have created the fake Shalarth IDs. Sources in cyber police stated the school management and headmasters colluded with education department officials to allow disbursement of salaries and other monetary benefits to teachers whose credentials were questionable. “Shool managements also turned a blind eye to recruitment of teachers with fake experience certificates and bogus documents. Their questionable proposals and approvals were all cleared by zilla parishad officials and the office of deputy director of education,” said an official. “We are likely to register offences against at least two officials from each institution, including the seniormost in the hierarchy and headmasters who recruited teachers with fake Shalarth IDs,” said the investigating official.
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